For most West Ham United fans, what has been a disappointing season can’t end quick enough but is there a silver lining after all.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
The Hammers have endured a torrid second season under Bilic after their record breaking farewell campaign at Upton Park.
Knocked out of the Europa League, EFL Cup and FA Cup in embarrassing fashion, the East Londoners then lost star player Dimitri Payet after he forced through a return to Marseille.
Bilic turned things around after Christmas as the club pulled away from the relegation zone but results have dipped again of late with no win in six and four defeats on the bounce.
With a couple more wins still needed from the remaining eight games to ensure Premier League survival things could get nervier yet although relegation would be as unlikely as it is unthinkable.
For most Hammers fans the problems stem from a dismal failure to invest sufficiently in the kind of quality players the club needed – and were promised by co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold – to push on.
Indeed some blame Dimitri Payet’s exit on the lack of promised investment which must also have had the Frenchman questioning the club’s ambition.
While Bilic has found himself under pressure with speculation mounting over his future, the majority of supporters are still behind the Croatian.
West Ham United owners David Sullivan and David Gold
In the last week, pundits like Jason Cundy and Tony Gale have publicly called the owners out for their failings.
So while the 2016/17 campaign may have been something of a write-off for the club, the silver lining is that Sullivan and Gold’s cheap transfer business has been exposed for all to see.
And the Hammers faithful will be hoping the owners are forced to deliver the big name, quality signings after all this summer.
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